Bartók's 44 Duos, rich in folk melodies, are
augmented by two pieces by Ligeti and Kurtág, in an all-Hungarian programme.
Jewelled miniatures of 20th century music, performed by András Keller and János
Pilz - violinists of Hungary's renowned Keller Quartet, and outstanding musicians
steeped in the Bartókian tradition. These are beautiful, touching, dazzling
performances.
Bartók's "44 Duos for Violin" ­ like his Mikrokosmos for piano ­ are pieces that
transcend their original pedagogic intention to stand by themselves as perfectly
poised works. (Every violin student should own this album, but it is also music for a
much wider public.) All but two of the duos are based on folk music, of many sources.
Here, Hanns Eisler's judgement is relevant: "Had Bartók written nothing but his
arrangements of Romanian, Slovakian and Hungarian peasant songs and dances, he
would nonetheless number among the great masters in the history of music. He is
highly original and highly popular at the same time."